Korean picklesKorean pickles

Here’s another easy and delicious pickle recipe that I came up with while I was trying to recreate of the many Korean banchan sides found in Korean bbq restaurants. I love all the little side dishes served at Korean barbecues that you can munch on as you wait for the meat to cook – the mild yet very addictive sesame flavored sprouts, hot and spicy chili paste and kimchi pickled cabbage or deep fried tofu, carrots and daikon pickles and other fermented vegetables. The list is endless!

There’s no cooking involved here, only chopping and pickling. You can serve these right away or let the veggies preserve. The longer you leave them, the stronger and softer the daikon and carrots will be.

japan daikon - celery

You can eat them with a simple bowl of white rice, use them as a filling for onigiri (Japanese rice balls), or put a few slices on top of a steak. These are also really good in a banh mi, with some fresh cilantro and a squirt fo sri racha. Was that enough to convince you to make some? I’ve made you hungry didn’t I.. So get cooking.

sliced japanese daikon
Daikon is also really good when it’s cooked in broth for a long time. It’s a great flavor absorbant! Try adding some in your next vegetable soup!
preserved Korean vegetablespreserved Korean vegetables
preserved Korean vegetables
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Korean pickles
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  • Author: Caroline Phelps
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: About 2 cups 1x
  • Category: Condiment
  • Method: Pickling
  • Cuisine: Korean
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Nutty, spicy, and tangy Korean style pickles.


Ingredients
Units Scale
  • 2 cups daikon, peeled and sliced into strips
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into strips
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons tobanjan (Korean chili paste)
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions
  1. Put the daikon, carrots and shallot in a medium size mixing bowl and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Quickly mix with your hands and leave for 10 minutes, to soften the veggies.
  2. In a separate small bowl, mix water, rice vinegar and tobanjan. Stir until tobanjan has diluted and add sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sesame oil. Stir well until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
  3. Rinse the vegetable, drain and squeeze out excess water. Return the vegetable in the mixing bowl and pour the tobanjan mixture over.
  4. Add sesame seeds and using chopsticks or a spoon, mix until veggies are well coated. Serve or let pickle for up to 3 days.

Notes

Store these pickles in a jar and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.


Nutrition
  • Serving Size: 1/4 cup
  • Calories: 28
  • Sugar: 1.5g
  • Sodium: 767mg
  • Fat: 1.7g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.2g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0.7g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 3g
  • Fiber: 0.7g
  • Protein: 0.6g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg
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Caroline Caron PhelpsCaroline Caron Phelps

Meet The Author: Caroline Phelps

Caroline Caron-Phelps is a recipe creator, food blogger, and photographer. She showcases delicious, authentic Asian recipes, especially Japanese, Korean, and Chinese, with beautiful photography, easy-to-follow instructions, videos, and practical recipe variations. Caroline has been featured on Bon Appetit, Shape Magazine, Self, Today Show, and more.

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